Truly Insane Peanut Butter Truffles

If you stop by here regularly, you already know I belong to too many baking and cooking groups. Sometimes I bake ahead so I have plenty of time to write the posts, and sometimes I fall behind and make the recipe on the day it's supposed to be posted. Although I prefer the former, today I learned the latter has its appeal, too.

When I delay posting, I can benefit from the P&Qs (Problems and Questions) that other bakers discuss. This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays recipe, Peanut Butter Truffles, is a perfect example. The SMS bakers were disappointed by the laid back peanut butter flavor of these truffles.  Some of them doubled the peanut butter (and even commented they might even go for more next time).

So I went with 2 1/2 times the amount of peanut butter with an extra 20% chocolate.  When I combined the cream and the peanut butter and heated them, they emulsified easily but the mixture was so oily, and yes, almost broken, that I panicked and added more chocolate in an unnecessary attempt to get the chocolate and peanut butter mixture to come together harmoniously. Adding the softened butter helped, but in the end, the chilled mixture was fine for scooping and rolling in chopped nuts.

Melissa calls for chopped peanuts but I wanted to mix it up a little so I used honey roasted peanuts. Perfect! They aren't the loveliest truffles you'll ever see, but they are decadent and delicious.

I am so grateful to Mara of Love your Mother for selecting this delicious recipe! Please check out what she did with these, and then go visit the other SMS bakers. You can find them here. They are a truly amazing and inspiring group!

Peanut Butter Truffles - adapted from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book

Printable Recipe

5 ounces bittersweet (61%) chocolate, finely chopped (or use feves)
7/8 cup heavy cream
175 grams/6 ounces smooth peanut butter (not natural)
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts

Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.

Place the cream and peanut butter in a 1 quart saucepan and heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally with a heatproof spatula until quite warm (but not hot) and small bubbles form around the edge. The mixture will look oily.

Pour the peanut butter cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir up from the bottom with your heat proof spatula and let sit for another minute or two. Stir up from the bottom again and stir in the butter in 4 pieces, mixing to combine. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Using a teaspoon or small scooper, scoop out the truffles, gently shape into round balls and roll in the peanuts, pressing the peanuts onto the truffles. Refrigerate immediately. Serve chilled. Makes about 30 truffles.